Description
Students determine closing prices, daily net changes, and difference between current price and 52-week highs/lows by subtracting various values.
Math Objectives
The student will be able to:
• Find the difference between two numbers in decimal form
• Solve word problems
Stock Market Concepts
52-Week High and Low
Net Change
Stock Prices
Writing: Students respond to the prompt, “Which of the three stocks would you rather include in your portfolio? Justify your response mathematically.”
Students respond to the prompt, “Why is it important to know how the current price of a stock relates to its 52-week high or 52-week low?
Students respond to the prompt, “Why does the range between the 52-week high and the 52-week low vary from stock to stock?”
Students respond to the prompt, “Would you rather buy a stock when its price is near the 52-week
high or the 52-week low? Why?”
Students respond to the prompt, “There is a popular investment slogan: Buy Low ~ Sell High. How
does finding the difference between a stock’s current price and its 52-week high and 52-week low
apply to this saying?”
ACTIVITY
Solve each of the following problems. Show your work in the space provided or on a separate sheet of
paper. Circle your final answer.
1. Mom’s Pie Company (YUMM) started the week with an opening price of $22.35. It increased in value by $1.14 on Monday. The price then decreased by $0.95 on Tuesday.
A) What was the closing price on Monday?
B) What was the closing price on Tuesday?
C) What was the change in price from YUMM’s open on Monday to its close on Tuesday? Was this an increase or decrease?
2. Old McDonald’s Chicken Farm (CLUCK) has been experiencing turbulent times. The stock’s 52-week high is $38.72 while its 52-week low is $8.88. Yesterday’s closing price was $13.45.
A) What is the difference between the 52-week high and 52-week low?
B) What is the difference between yesterday’s close and the 52-week high?
C) What is the difference between yesterday’s close and the 52-week low?
3. The price of Santa’s Toy Factory (HOHO) stock increased $2.33 during the week. Its closing price on Friday was $41.62 and was also the stock’s 52-week high. This is $5.22 higher than its 52-week low.
A) What was the opening price on Monday?
B) What is the stock’s 52-week low?
4. On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following question in a complete paragraph. Be sure to justify your response mathematically. Which of these three stocks would you rather include in your portfolio?
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